


Starlight in Her Hair

by Bramblepelt



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Backstory, F/M, Fantasy Tom Cruise War Movie, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 12:44:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9272348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bramblepelt/pseuds/Bramblepelt
Summary: He pictured the gazebo over a year ago when he first knew he was in love with her. She was standing on an overturned milk crate in the middle of a crowded pub, and she was being loud.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks for cherrybaum, dbsharpy, and silencingthedrums for beta reading, giving feedback, and convincing me to just post it already. I'm not used to writing heavy stuff like this but I already exhausted my 'the gang finds a kitten' idea so here we are.

The wedding is five days away, and most men would be getting their final fittings at the tailor or haggling with the baker around this time. Most folks get caught up in the details, sweating the intricacies of tradition and ceremony, this close to their wedding day. 

Magnus is, true to form, not behaving like most folks. The last two weeks have been sawing, sanding, nailing and measuring measuring measuring. It’s finally coming together, the foundation and structure completed. It’s beginning to look exactly like it does in his mind save a few minor decorative additions. 

He pictured the gazebo over a year ago when he first knew he was in love with her. She was standing on an overturned milk crate in the middle of a crowded pub, and she was being loud. 

Being loud was Julia’s specialty. If there was something wrong in the world and nobody else would speak up, she would. She had no patience for graces or respect of authority and was not afraid to tell a guard they were being cruel right to their face.

“Just like Mari. She is her mother’s daughter” Steven would sigh “and that’s what scares me.”

Magnus was certainly on familiar terms with his employer’s daughter, but the depth of their conversation was relegated to the weather and whatever massive project Steven had signed on to that month. So the first time he caught her sneaking out in the middle of the night, massive stack of paper under her left arm, he hesitated before confronting her. After an awkward moment of justifying being outside alone at night-he was frustrated with his inability to get curves he carved to look perfect and was practicing so what?- he asked her not to start any trouble, what if something happened to her? 

“And if I do nothing and something still happens to me, what then?” she asked, pushing him aside and continuing her walk. She was stubborn, he knew that, but he couldn’t just let her walk around town and start passing out pamphlets demanding action against the reigning government. Not without at least trying to reason with her. What good would any of that do? What was her end goal anyway? It’s not like he disagreed with her. In fact if you could look into the hearts of the people in Raven’s Roost you’d see a majority of them agreed with her. Governor Callan was not a good person and certainly not a good governor. 

But what do you do in this scenario? Most people just wanted to live their lives day by day and be grateful they had a safe and warm home to go back to every night. Starting trouble meant violence, and the most vulnerable ended up caught in the worst of it. He had to make sure she wasn’t one of them. 

“I don’t need a chaperone.” she huffed after realizing he wasn’t going away.

“Just let me keep an eye on things, please? I promise not to interfere with whatever you’re planning tonight just... I mean don’t you think people will be less likely to cause problems for you if they see these?” he flexed in a dramatic pose, and she snorted a laugh despite herself.

“Fine, you can tag along, but not a single word from you, ok?” Magnus agreed to her terms, and ended up walking by her side as she handed her papers to anyone they passed, slipping them under doors and attaching them to sign posts. It was a call to action, an invitation to come hear the crimes against the people laid out plainly followed by a discussion on how to hold the governing body accountable. He already knew he’d have to escort her to this event as well. Passing out flyers was one thing, orating in a crowded bar was something else altogether. 

Even if that bar was owned by her cousin, who was so enamored by her little Julie she’d let her do anything. Samantha was an enabler. Always had been since the day her sweet baby cousin was born. They were practically sisters. The first night Julia spoke, Sam looked at him in a way that clearly said: ‘You will not tell Steven anything about this’. Of course he wouldn’t, he was an accessory to all this now and he liked keeping his apprenticeship thank you very much.

The first night was largely uneventful. The next few times she was told to shut up, go back home, young kids like you don’t understand how the world works. She wasn’t deterred. People who were especially negative got watered down drinks. Night after night she continued with Magnus always there sitting at the bar, not much for him to do other than glare at people who called her exceptionally rude names. Sometimes a few folks engaged her in discussion, those nights kept her motivated despite being a rare occurrence. She knew she was getting through to them she just had to keep trying. 

It wasn’t too long before her indignation at Magnus’ worry had faded. Now when she left home at night she waited until he joined her. They would talk on the way, about the weather and the work, but also about life and the town and the upsetting lack of dogs in it. They both loved dogs.

That night more than a year ago a spark was ignited. It started off like most of them. Julia snuck out after she was sure her father was asleep. She and Magnus made their way to Sam’s Place while she went on about how she knew what she was going to say tonight was going to move people. She got there with the milk carton already upturned in it’s usual spot, ready to start, praying for engagement, hoping to sway just one mind that night.

There were three guards there that night.

It wasn’t the first time. Usually they dismissed her as some silly rabble rouser, and found themselves far more invested in their drinks than worrying about a kid. Sam poured very freely for their orders and they had no desire to interrupt a good deal.

But that night something was different. As Julia opened with her list of injustices against the people of Raven’s Roost, a list most patrons could recite by heart now, Magnus could already read the tension in the room. He eyed Sam who indicated she felt something too. Both kept their sights on Julia. When she was done listing the issue of unfair taxation, the ending of desperately needed public works projects, the ejection of families from homes and the poor state of the school, she retrieved a new list. One she hadn’t read before. And she named names, reading them from her list but giving each one the profound weight it deserved. She read the names of mothers and fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and neighbors, teachers, artists, grandparents, and children. With each name the bar got quieter. Nobody had to be told what this list was. These were the names of every person who had disappeared over the last five years. Everyone there that night knew someone on that list.

“Marigold Waxmen.” she ended, her voice wavering for the first time. Magnus heard a gasp from Sam, who had been bracing for that name, but it still hit her hard. All eyes were on Julia. “No bodies, no records, no investigations.” Magnus flinched thinking of his excuses, how he worried fighting would lead to innocents suffering. Innocent people were already suffering. Everyone was. One of the guards sat up from his table and started making his way over. “How many more names must be added-” 

It happened in an instant. He grabbed her wrist and jerked her violently. Magnus shot forward. Sam screamed. With her free hand Julia slammed her palm against his face. The man crumpled to the ground with his hands over his nose. There was blood.

For a beat no one moved.

The other two guards stood, glaring, one unsheathing his sword. 

“I think we’ve heard enough now.” he walked over trying to stare her into submission. Julia was shaking her hand out but looked otherwise ready to throw down again.

And here Magnus once thought of her as vulnerable.

He stepped between her and the guards and raised his fists. The man with the sword laughed, the smell of whiskey radiating off him. 

“Go home boy before you do something your mother will regret.” One punch sent the guard’s head back and knocked the helmet to the ground. Sam did not waste the opportunity and smashed an empty bottle over his head.

“Regret THAT!” Magnus yelled before thinking it through. He hadn’t expected to need cool catchphrases tonight. The third was making his way to him, dagger poised, Magnus could feel the adrenaline pumping and was god damn ready. A quick yelp from behind made him lose focus for just one moment; the man with the broken nose had grabbed Julia’s ankle. Two over-eager teenagers descended and dragged him back down where they could start pummeling. It was only a moment but as soon as Magnus turned his attention back the guard was close enough to swipe. 

The pain was hot and fierce and for a short time he couldn’t see. He grabbed what he could, an arm, twisted it and heard a pop. He found a fistful of hair and forced his attacker’s skull to meet the bar. There were a few screams, some shuffling, doors slamming, glass shattering, and then silence. The three guards were out on the ground. A few excitable young folks were staring at him like they were awaiting orders. An older gentleman began dragging the unconscious guards outside. Julia grabbed a wet cloth from Sam, jumped back onto her crate, and shoved it onto his face. 

“Holy. Shit.” she smiled up at him. “That was...that was it.” she trailed off. The alcohol drenched towel burned and Magnus did not take it quietly. He heard the sound of a bottle popping open and liquid pouring. Glasses were handed out with a tan and potent liquid. Julia put one in his hand and beamed. Maybe it was the pain or the heat of the fight or the vapors from the spilled liquors, but Magnus swore she looked like she was glowing. The damn moon couldn’t compete with her right now.

“Well everyone it was fun while it lasted.” Sam said, raising her glass. “Here’s to whatever comes next.”

They clinked their glasses and drank. Julia wouldn’t stop smiling, gently wiping the blood off his face. Magnus thought how she’d look perfectly at home surrounded by the stars and for some reason just ached to give them to her.

 

The gazebo wouldn’t be suitable as a rain shelter but that wasn’t exactly the whole point of it anyway. Magnus had carved small shapes in the roof that, when the sun or moon hit it perfectly, made tiny stars appear on the floor. It’s not perfect, there’s a few flaws here and there and he grumbled to himself how he could have missed them. If he has time he’s going to fix it.

 

“We should probably get home.” Julia suggested after Sam had finished bandaging up his face. This wasn’t the first slicing related injury she’d seen in her career. The mood in the room had settled down and the reality of what had happened began to permeate in their minds.

“How am I going to explain this to Steven?” Magnus asked.

“Just...say it was a bar fight. You get into bar fights right? It’s not a lie.” Julia said. Magnus spotted a bruise forming on her wrist where that asshole grabbed her.

“Steven is going to kill me.” he whined.  
“You almost lost your eye and you’re worried about something I can hide with jewelry? Please stop being so chivalrous it’s making me sick.” she teased. 

 

 

The next few months moved in a flash. The tale of the Blacksmith’s Apprentice who took down five guardsmen while protecting two innocent young women quickly spread from door to door. It was frustrating for both of them to hear the overblown and wildly inaccurate story but Julia had to admit it was getting their collective blood pumping. Sometimes a mythic hero was exactly what was needed to make people pay attention. People were coming over to see the hero with their own eyes, it wasn’t exactly subtle. If Steven noticed anything he certainly didn’t say anything. The lack of response from the governor or any guards towards him was gnawing at the back of Magnus’ mind.

Sam had to pay a fine for aiding in a disturbance of the peace. Guardsmen stopped visiting. All the better, her bar had become the central meeting place for dissidents. Magnus, the man who threw the first punch, was quickly being pushed into the role of leader. He was outright offended the first time he heard the title, it was after all Julia who made the first hit before he did anything useful. She told him not to think about it too much, it wasn’t about who got the credit so long as their numbers grew. It’s not like she was playing a backseat to him anyway, she still organized and planned and spoke the loudest when discussions turned sour. People came to see him, they stayed to listen to her.

She was getting impatient though. More and more people were showing their support, vocalizing their dissent, and coming to the discussions but that’s where it ended-just talking. They had the numbers now they needed to act. 

 

If the night at the bar was the spark, what happened next was the explosion. It was mid afternoon and Magnus was escorting Julia to the market. She wasn’t going to protest, it was just a simple grocery trip. Magnus wasn’t chaperoning or playing guard, he just wanted some fresh air. They were just used to sharing walks together now. They passed by vendors who gave a subtle wave and nod and people who looked away pretending they weren’t there. 

Julia spotted him first. The man with a broken nose, no longer in a guard’s uniform, glaring at the pair and moving towards them quickly. She tapped Magnus on the arm and found herself yelling “Time to go!” The two took off hand in hand, not really knowing where they were heading, and the man chased after. Magnus knew they could take him but god damnit he just didn’t want this today. They were having such a nice, quiet time! They didn’t get moments like these lately. Why ruin it with a beat down, or worse?

“You know what? No, I’m gonna kick his ass.” Julia hissed, her pace slowing slightly. “I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna kick his ass!” she stopped, making him slip down the road a step as she hadn’t let go. 

“Jules come on he’s not worth it, we can shake him,” he pled. She was having none of it. Julia turned around to face their pursuer, arms up and ready to go. Magnus moved to once again put himself in the middle when a figure from the side street to their left got there first. He tackled the ex-guard to the ground and laid a few punches in. They recognized him as Colin, the one who drug the guardsmen out that night and the quiet older man who tended to sit in the corner at gatherings. Colin sold the best pastries in the marketplace and he always brought cake. 

“Go on, move!” he gruffed out. He had the man’s face pinned into the dirt. Magnus pulled Julia back to running and the two dashed past stalls, guards, and wagons, dodging cats and kids and trying to get lost in a crowd wherever they could. A stray brick underfoot sent the them falling into Old Lady Shelby’s exotic flower cart. 

The moment was romantic as fuck. There were petals in the air and their faces were flushed from the cardio, she was glowing again. He tried to ask her if she was ok but her mouth was on his before he found his voice. He pulled her closer against him and just melted. He was actually butter in her hands and there was never again anything she could ever ask of him that he wouldn’t rush to do. She had flowers stuck in her hair, looking like some sort of classical painting of a spring goddess. He had fallen and he had no need to get back up.

“Oh my I remember being young,” Shelby said amongst her ruined plants, hovering over the two young adults making out, “young, in love, and ready to help an old lady I inconvenienced terribly.”

“Sorry Ms. Shelby.” Julia said between giggles. There was a loud pop that echoed through the market, a high pitched whir and a loud bang in the sky. Red lights shimmered, slowly falling to the ground. It was a signal. 

Sam’s Place was in ashes. Charred remains of wood and glass were all that was left. It was a message: We Know. 

 

“It looks incredible Mag.” Samantha was gazing at the gazebo in awe. She was looking much healthier than she had been in months. The loss of her business and stress of the fighting had taken a harsh toll on her but the recent wedding excitement was bringing back the old Sam. She ran her hand over the banister and smiled. “She’s going to love this.”

“It’s not the best I could do, I think I forgot how to slow down for a while there. I kept making rookie mistakes.” he was grimacing.  
“Well if there are any flaws they’re in your head. It’s perfect.” Sam grinned. “You two are perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so enamored in her whole life. You better love her like she deserves.” Sam folded her arms and sighed. “I should get back, Julie just wanted to make sure you were still alive out here but she knows you don’t want her to see it yet. You know how I know she loves you? She really badly wants to see this right now, but I’m here and she’s not.”

“Thanks Sam.” he said. 

 

The fighting was never ending. Magnus and Julia stole moments in the quiet, sometimes just happy when they could see the other was still there. This was bigger than them, bigger than either of them could imagine. This was a full out revolution and ‘the man who threw the first punch’, insufferable as the title was, was at the forefront.

An opportunity presented and the chance to finally end it all had come. Magnus and three of his closest comrades were ready to storm the governor’s mansion and take him out once and for all. Governor Callan hadn’t been seen outside in weeks. Anything could’ve been waiting in there: armed soldiers, traps, rabid bugbears even, who knew. The gravity of the situation and the feeling that he may not come back out alive weighed heavy on his mind. Maybe that’s why he completely threw all sense and tact to the wind, took her hands in his, and asked her to marry him.

“Are you, you’re serious? This isn’t some goof.” she asked.

“Jules I have never been so serious in my entire life.” He was pretty sure this was true but he could be mistaken.

She shook her head in disbelief. She hadn’t given much thought to what would happen next. But she knew she wanted him at her side, whatever it was. She also knew about a dozen guerilla soldiers were staring at them rapt by the drama of it all, half of them anxious to head out before they missed their chance.

“Magnus Burnsides,” she answered “You come back here a hero, and we’ll have ourselves the fanciest damn wedding this town has ever seen.”

The big lug had tears streaming down his cheeks as he pulled her into a dip, kissing while their comrades cheered and hollered around them. If this scene happened in a fantasy Tom Cruise war movie Julia would’ve rolled her eyes but right here and now this moment was theirs. It was perfect. 

“We’ll discuss your penchant for bad timing when you get back.” she said behind a half smile, giving him one last razz before he had to go. “Don’t rush in, ok? Be careful, come back in mostly one piece!”

He gave her one last loving look before they took off, feeling like he could take down every evil standing in the way of love and justice that day.

 

Normally a wedding day is for the two getting married. Maybe the families too. This wedding was for an entire town. ‘The Hero of Raven’s Roost’ was marrying his beloved, just like all the best stories should end, and it was exactly what every person needed to see to bring back their hope. It was, because of this, quite the mix of traditions. 

Old Lady Shelby crafted the bride an exquisite bouquet full of flowers for luck, romance, prosperity, and a dash of marigolds. Sam had organized the important parts she knew Julie would want: her mother’s dress re-tailored, begging the musicians not to play anything too cheesy, and making sure she remembered to sleep and drink water. 

Julia herself threw her energy into helping her father reestablish the Hammer and Tongs workshop. Another strange side effect of her fiancee’s reputation: everyone wanted something handmade by the hero himself. There were order forms to process and material prices to negotiate. It wasn’t exactly the same as leading a revolution but it helped fill the hole in her social life. A social life that was comprised quite a bit by older women chuckling about babies and small feet pitter pattering. She could only roll her eyes at them. The two had already had that discussion: they would concern themselves with getting a dog in the home first and go from there.

 

The day came and went all too quickly. Everything felt like a blur in hindsight. So many people, so much music and dance. It felt more like some holiday festival than a wedding, and Magnus had caught himself wondering if the day would be the same next year. This day really was for everyone who made it through the ordeal with them. At least there was the gazebo which gave the couple a moment that was only for them.

Despite the overwhelming nature of the entire event one thing stood out to each of them. Julia had noticed, while the priest was rambling his prose in his traditional manner, Magnus was struggling not to cry. He had always worn his emotions on his sleeve and this attempt to hold back until the moment was appropriate was stunning. (Although she badly wanted to tell him to just do it already, who cares if no one can hear the priest?) 

As for Magnus, he would never forget how despite it being the middle of the day, Julia’s hair was covered in starlight.

 

Magnus sat in his room with a block of wood in one hand and a knife in the other. Ducks weren’t that difficult, really. He was just a little out of practice with curves and detail work. And remembering what ducks looked like. But he needed to get it perfect again before his session with Carey tomorrow. She was counting on him to help her with this. The relationship between Carey and Killian was something so familiar and he needed to do everything he could to keep that feeling. He just really needed to remember how to get these curves perfect again.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be one page about building the gazebo and I just didn't stop typing.
> 
> @pandalots on twitter


End file.
